Guidelines for Writing Your Letter (Paraphrased from State School News Service – 2/10/10 Edition)

·         Your letter will be posted on the Governor’s web site, perhaps even archived there for many years. This is, after all, an unprecedented historical event, perhaps even a model for resolving gridlock in the future.

·         Avoid being negative – anger, name-calling, recrimination, blame. Some will disagree with you. However, we must all work together to solve this crisis.

·         Think for yourself. Don’t sign form letters that many organizations are sure to recommend. Just state a position and then add a sentence or two of rationale, in your own words.

·         Keep to the subject. This is about the budget, about what programs and services the state provides and how it raises the money to pay for them.

·         This is not a long essay. The letters will be put in two stacks – for a tax hike, against taxes – and then will be weighed. A clear majority view on that question is the goal. You don’t need to go much beyond that. Use your attitude about a particular program or two to illustrate your rationale, but keep it brief.

·         Identify yourself. If you want your “vote” to count, you do not want to give anyone a reason to ignore your opinion because it’s anonymous.

·         Follow the law. Remember that the statute invites your input “between February 24, 2010 and March 10, 2010.” That is because the governor has posted the FY 2010-11 fiscal data on his website as of February 24. The assumption is that your response will be “informed” by that report.

• Send it to the Governor: During the period of February 24 and March 10 send a letter to the Governor regarding your position on the budget crisis. Mail it to: Gov. Pat Quinn, 207 State House, Springfield, IL 62706 or contact the Governor via the web at: http://www.illinois.gov/gov/contactthegovernor.cfm